There are considerable differences with China - but the Chancellor insists on her credo at her last German-Chinese government consultations: Conflicts can only be resolved in conversation.
Berlin / Beijing - Germany and China want to deepen cooperation in business, climate protection and the health sector. This was emphasized by Chancellor Angela Merkel and China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the end of the virtual German-Chinese government consultations. The Chancellor defended the dialogue with Beijing: Conflicts can only be resolved if you keep talking.
And Germany has enough conflicts with China - the geopolitical situation and relations are tense, among other things because of the dispute over China's treatment of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang and the mutual imposition of sanctions between the EU and China. In a joint declaration before the beginning, Merkel mentioned the conflict issue of human rights: Part of the partnership is “that we can address difficult issues and put everything on the table”. As an example, Merkel cited the situation in Hong Kong, where Beijing recently passed a draconian security law and implemented an electoral reform that significantly reduces the opposition's chances of winning elections.
She wishes “that we could get the human rights dialogue going again as soon as possible,” said Merkel.
Li Keqiang acknowledged differences in relations: “China and Germany have different views on some issues.
That is an objective fact. ”But both want to continue the cooperation in principle.
Merkel and Li Keqiang: declarations of intent that have nothing to do with the issues at stake
And so, following a message from the Federal Press Office, both sides signed a whole series of declarations of intent.
All of them are collaborations in limited specific areas that have nothing to do with the controversial issues of human rights or technology competition:
More cooperation between the ministries of education in climate research
More cooperation on climate and nature conservation
Cooperation between the ministries of agriculture to regulate food safety
Cooperation between the transport ministries in securing the transport of dangerous goods by road
Germany and Europe: Debates about the right China policy
This list works like "Business As Usual".
But the EU, like Germany, is currently wrestling with the right China policy - as well as the question of how closely one should work with the USA on this.
Meanwhile, with growing prosperity, China has become much more self-confident in representing its own interests.
There is growing awareness that Europe must be more aware of and assess China's activities - and arm itself against it, for example by protecting domestic companies from unwanted Chinese investments.
China and Germany: Corona policy remains an important topic - also for the economy
An important topic was of course the fight against the corona pandemic - according to a statement by the Federal Press Office, among other things with regard to "the global supply of vaccines and the recognition of vaccination certificates to facilitate travel." The strict Chinese entry regulations are a great burden for Germans Companies and their local customers in China. "We know a number of examples of incomplete company start-ups, the slow build-up of production lines - or the impairment of the maintenance of important machines and systems in Chinese companies," emphasizes Clas Neumann, President of the German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.Machines and systems sold to China are mostly started up by installers from Germany who have come specially for this purpose - who are currently unable to enter, or only under very difficult circumstances. In a quick poll by the Chamber of German companies in China on Wednesday, 78 percent of the companies described travel restrictions as currently the greatest burden. At first it was not known whether this was actually being negotiated.
(ck)